Steve Stred's Blog, page 50
September 21, 2022
3Q’s – Ruthann Jagge is seeking New Patients!
Anyone who has frequented the Books of Horror Facebook Group will undoubtedly come across Ruthann – either through her enthusiasm towards what you’re working on, towards books she loves or regarding her own releases coming! She’s an amazingly supportive person and I’m super excited to have her join me today!
Welcome, Ruthann!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
Ruthann: When I’m home, I try to write in the late afternoon. I’m an early riser, and there’s no telling what the day will bring, I live on a rural cattle ranch. Typically it’s more quiet, and hotter than hell outside, so I try to get a couple of uninterrupted hours in. No set word count, it depends on “what” I feel like working on, I usually have a few projects going at once. If I’m excited about “where” a story is going, I have been known to pull an all-nighter.
Steve: You win the lottery and the only condition is that you need to fund another author’s book to be made into a movie. What book would you choose to be filmed?
Ruthann: Tough one, but I’m going with Ron Kelly’s classic “Fear.” It has all the ingredients folks are enjoying right now: coming of age, a small-town folk horror setting, an original monster, and a lot of heart. I’d love to see this!
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Ruthann: Oh gosh. My novella “The New Girls’ Patient” is still doing well. It was released in January of this year. It has intriguing characters, a unique premise, and it’s creepy enough to interest most readers in the genre. The story will be continued in a full-length novel in 2023.
Steve: Bonus Question! If you could be an extra on any TV show, which one would it have been and why?
Ruthann: Easy. “True Blood.” The series, based on the books written by Charlaine Harris.
It was insanely-cool, full of beautiful people, and had enough supernaturals of all kinds to intrigue even those who don’t typically enjoy “horror.” I think, in some way, the series contributed to the renaissance of the genre, it was fairly mainstream with a Sunday night prime-time slot.
Fantastic! Thank you so much, Ruthann!
Check the links to find more work from her!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ruthann-Jagge/e/B084Q9DSSK/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/redheadrites
Website: https://ruthannjagge.com/
September 20, 2022
3Q’s Special – Jeff Strand doesn’t care about accuracy!
Fun one today, friends! Today’s guest is an author who has a ravenous fanbase. He is supportive, kind and always up for some crazy hijinks. Jeff Strand is an award-winning writer who always delivers in the world’s of fiction and non-fiction.Please, do welcome Jeff!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try to write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?Jeff: It varies a lot. After a summer of extensive travel (most of my favorite conventions are compressed into three months) I returned home to a vicious book deadline, and I wrote WAY more in the late stages than the early stages. I don’t have a standard word count each day; it’s an ever-shifting “How many words is it going to take to finish this book on time?” process. When I’m home, I’m pretty much working all day until late in the evening.
https://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Bleeds-Into-Winter-Strand-ebook/dp/B08J3MNRMQ/Steve: If you started a series and for some reason had to have another author finish it, who would you choose?Jeff: Nobody. I’d be more like Sue Grafton, who made it to Y on her alphabet series and made it clear that nobody else was to take over upon her death. (Her family took the extra step of immediately publicly announcing that she hadn’t even started Book Z.) I also don’t want anybody digging around my hard drive, because there are a lot of half-finished projects on there that shall remain half-finished.
https://www.amazon.com/Twentieth-Anniversary-Screening-Jeff-Strand-ebook/dp/B09TTRN2M1/Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!Jeff: Freaky Briefs is a collection of 75 flash fiction stories. They’re almost all horror, but they veer far more toward the “comedy” side of the horror/comedy scale. If you read my books and think, “These would be just swell if not for all the gosh-darn humor,” this collection is not for you, but it’s my favorite of my five short story collections. Lots of laughs and insanity to be found.
https://www.amazon.com/Freaky-Briefs-75-Short-Absurdities-ebook/dp/B0B781WP4Y/Steve: Bonus Question! If they made a movie about your life, what actor or actress would you suggest they get to play you?Jeff: Ryan Reynolds, because I’m not concerned about accuracy to the source material.
Accuracy is never key!Thanks again for doing this Jeff!To find more of his work, please do check the links!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jeff-Strand/e/B001K8D3F0/Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffStrandWebsite: jeffstrand.com
3Q’s – Carl John Lee invites you to visit his House!
Hey hey – time for a visit from everyone’s favorite UNCLE!
That’s right, the enigmatic Carl John Lee agreed to do a 3Q’s. Carl has been super kind since we first connected, offering up his first interview to me as well as kindly doing the cover to my novel ‘Incarnate.’
Not a lot is known about Carl, and I was hoping to gain some more insight into Mr. Lee’s workings from this interview, but sadly he shared no ‘insider information.’
Anyways – please do welcome Carl John Lee!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
Carl: Hello Mr. Stred, thank you for asking me to do this. You were the very first big name to take a chance on my books, and I’ll never forget that. With regards to writing time, I retired from the movie biz many years ago, so time is all I have left. All of my books (with the exception of Blood Beast Mutations) are based on unproduced scripts I wrote back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, so the actual writing doesn’t take too long, as the dialogue and story beats are already there. I got dozens of these things, man. Sometimes I look back and wonder how I managed to write so many. But then I remember the drugs I was on back then, and it all begins to make sense.
Steve: If you started a series and for some reason had to have another author finish it, who would you choose?
Carl: If I can’t finish a series, then it dies with me. I can’t tell you the amount of times I went to see a movie I supposedly wrote, and didn’t recognize a single thing happening onscreen. I get it, it’s all part of the biz, but now I’m old and I work for myself, so I have the luxury of doing whatever the hell I want.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Carl: My newest release is Horror House of Perversion 2: The Slaughtered Lambs. It’s the second in my extreme horror series, a dirty and sleazy gorefest for adventurous readers that probably works better on the page than it would have on the screen, as there’s no way we could have gotten away with the revolting filth in this book back in the 70s or 80s. It helps if you’ve read the first in the series, but it also works as a standalone too. There’s some humor, romance, and an enormous amount of blood, violence, and perversion, all set in the seedy world of 1970s hard rock bands and groupies. It’s sick shit, but there’s heart in there too.
Steve: Bonus Question! If they made a movie about your life, what actor or actress would you suggest they get to play you?
Carl: Well, I don’t really know many modern actors, so I’m gonna go back in time for this one. There’s an Italian actor called Al Cliver that I worked with once, and when we went out cruising bars, the girls used to mistake us for twins, so I guess he’d be a good shout. But I also grew up on a hippy colony and spent most of my time naked, so maybe get someone like Robert Redford, as he’d be much more pleasing for an audience to look at. Or even better, Jane Seymour.
Awesome! Thank you so much, Carl!
To find out more about Carl, check the links!
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarlJohnLee1
September 19, 2022
How The Andrew Pyper Archives Began
How The Andrew Pyper Archives Began by Steve Stred
** Quick note – during the summer (2022), I was contacted by a Literary Magazine here in Canada to draft up a potential non-fiction editorial about the formation of The Andrew Pyper Archives. I immediately agreed and went about creating the piece. I sent in the draft, which they were very happy with, and I awaited edits. Then, a few weeks later, they contacted me to say that the non-fiction section it would be featured in had ceased – and while they loved the piece there simply wouldn’t be a place for it anymore. With that in mind, I’ve decided to share this piece here (slightly expanded) for everyone to discover! Please, do enjoy! **
**
How does one develop a favorite author?
It’s a complex, interesting and completely personal decision. Something, within their work, connects with you in a way that opens up emotional reactions and visceral responses.
Much like how a song or a band triggers your synapses to fire – so too does the work of your favorite author.
But, commonly, there isn’t a singular piece or a singular release. It’s a cumulative domino effect where, time and time again, you read a novel or story and understand that they are writing specifically just for you. That you are reading their words as though the writer is sitting beside you reading it.
This was how I came to understand the importance of Award-Winning, International Best-Selling Author, Andrew Pyper. It wasn’t just how phenomenal his work was. It was how it was always there, when big events happened in my life.
Now, if you’ve followed my social media platforms over the years, you’ll have obviously seen my love of his work. My social media shouting started from a place where I simply wasn’t seeing his work raved about enough. Don’t get me wrong – Andrew’s work was shared – but for this super-fan, not enough. But how did I develop this love of his storytelling which ultimately resulted in the Archives being created?
Let’s dive in.
If you’re unfamiliar with Andrew Pyper’s work, he’s released a dozen novels to critical acclaim, as well as two audio-only productions that have reignited people’s love of audiobooks. Born and raised in Ontario, he now calls Toronto home. I would describe his work as Big Five Literary Fiction with an Indie Author bent. That is – he writes books that appear on numerous Best-Seller lists, but without a doubt, will always have some of the most brutal moments shared on the page. He isn’t a PG-13 writer. He’s a storyteller who starts off with a Rated R novel and will deliver NC17 carnage. My journey with his work began in 2014, when I purchased his novel, ‘The Demonologist.’ I’ve shared this story a number of times, but some of you may not have heard it, so let me fill you in. My wife and I were at a Walmart in Abbotsford, BC where we lived at the time. The Demonologist just happened to be in the 2 for $15 paperback section. I took a photo of the cover (I usually did this with books at Walmart so that I could order it through Chapters! Plum Points and discount!) – intrigued by the title, the synopsis and the fact this author was from Canada and went home. But I couldn’t get it out of my head. So much so, that my wife insisted I go back and buy it. (For those wondering, the other book I bought for the 2 for $15 deal was The Troop by Nick Cutter.) I devoured it. People often speak of Stephen King’s ‘writing-voice’ as being so familiar and comforting. This was what happened when I cracked open the book and was introduced to David Ullman.
(My very first Andrew Pyper book!)
I was going through a significant life change in 2014. My wife and I married. Our dog jumped off the bed one night and ruptured his spinal cord, resulting in temporary hind-end paralysis. And I left my job to pursue bobsled. During this time, Lost Girls and The Damned were there. When I had my first bobsled crash, (it was during my first week of training with the National Team. We crashed in Whistler on a notorious stretch called 50/50 doing about 135kmph) which resulted in my left shoulder being separated and (unknown to me at that time) significant hip damage, I couldn’t do much. I still went to the gym, training everything I could but my left arm/shoulder, but when back at the Athlete Village, all I could really do was read. That was when Danny Orchard came into my life, and I remember discussing the book with my physiotherapist as he worked to get my arm moving again.
In 2015, after the season was done, we moved to Calgary, the move designed in mind to try and improve my chances at making the Winter Olympics. My body continued to break down, but something amazing arrived. We found out my wife was pregnant. We’d been told we most likely would never have kids and we were fine with that. We had our bully, OJ and spoiled him. But then, along came the news and we were over the moon.
In August 2016, when my wife went into labor, I brought my copy of The Wildfire Season with me.
(My copy of The Wildfire Season that I was reading when Auryn was born!)
As the night went on, the nurse told me to feel free and sit as nothing was progressing. I was just about to start reading and be introduced to Miles, when things took a crazy, insane turn. Thankfully, the doctors were phenomenal and Amanda and Auryn are still with me today. (Side note – I have spoken a bit about this in the past, but also briefly while I was on the Largely the Truth Podcast with Andrew – https://audioboom.com/posts/8056841-andrew-pyper-steve-stred-horror-novelists)
Because of that craziness, once Auryn was able to come home, at first he slept in his little swaddle on my chest. While this calmed my PTSD, it also prevented me from reading, because I couldn’t hold a book and him at the same time, but also it had to be dark. I put off reading for close to 18 months.
Not long after his arrival, life changed again, and we moved to Edmonton. Time passed, and I still hadn’t found a way to return to reading, when my wife got me an early Father’s Day gift – a Kindle. The first book I loaded on it was The Wildfire Season, but I found I couldn’t jump back in, the book bringing me back to the delivery room in vivid detail. It took me some time, but I finally read it and absolutely loved it.
The biggest moments in my life from the day I stumbled across The Demonologist have all been accompanied by the steady and solid prose of Andrew’s work.
Early in my writing career, I reached out to author Ania Ahlborn, asking her advice on social media. She said she’d had her most early success with Twitter. So, I thanked her and took her advice. I started using Twitter more frequently, and it was there that I first bumped into Andrew’s profile. I couldn’t believe it. Here was the author who helped me so much, tweeting and interacting with people. I followed him and waited patiently for any news of a new book. It was also around that time that I really began to tweet about his books, share them on IG and FB and just generally let the world know that I loved his books so much. I’ll never forget the day when I got the notification on Twitter that Andrew Pyper was now following me. I screenshot it and sent it to my wife. If I had been on the phone or in person I probably would’ve been screaming. (Hell, I screenshot and sent it to my wife the first time Andrew retweeted me – FYI he called me his favorite Canadian… so there!)
Not long after, I worked up the nerve and sent him a DM expressing my love of his work and thanking him for the follow. I nearly fainted when he responded! It still blows my mind that my favorite author not only has replied to me, but even knows who I am. Maybe it’s the super-small-town kid that still lives inside of me, but it never ceases to be amazing.
From there, I decided to do a month-long celebration of his work called Pyper-May-Nia, in (you guessed it) May. The first year I did it, I’ll admit, sucked. I tried to make it fun, but I didn’t really plan it well. It was also that year that I discovered an ARC of The Demonologist at a local Value Village. I couldn’t believe it. That little discovery was the impetus for my own personal collection. I began combing the online world and local bookstores for the variations of his works and the ARCs of each. Some were easy to find, others not so much. To track down the ARC of The Only Child, I’d estimate I sent out close to 300 emails. It wasn’t until my friend, Erin, suggested a specific Canadian reviewer. I contacted him, he went through his dozens of boxes in his storage unit and found it! I couldn’t believe it.
Each May since, I’ve been ramping up the Pyper-May-Nia, from doing interviews with Andrew, retrospectives of his works and having guest reviews and more. In 2021, I did a feature called Pyper Preview, where each Tuesday leading up to Pyper-May-Nia and a live interview on IG, I shared his books. My collection has continued to grow, including all the English editions and all the foreign editions. What started out as a dozen books has become over 100!
When Andrew’s novel ‘The Residence’ came out, I reached out to Andrew for his publicist’s contact to ask about potentially receiving a physical ARC for review. I remember he replied with the email, but I was too nervous to contact them, figuring so many others would be on the list to receive them already. Imagine my surprise when, a few days later, I came home to a package direct from Andrew with a signed and inscribed ARC! It shouldn’t surprise those who know me to know that I shed a few tears at receiving such a phenomenally kind gift.
(I was so shocked to receive this kind gift!)
I’ve been fortunate to forge a friendship with Andrew. It’s something I never expected, nor will I ever take for granted. I’m hoping to finally get the pieces in place for the two of us to formally meet in person one of these days. I just hope when the time arrives, I’m not a blubbering fool.
Lastly – before I reverse course – two last key moments. A few summer’s back, I did an online writing course led by Andrew. I did it for two reasons. The first – as a super-fan, I wanted some insight into how he crafts his stories. The second – as a writer always striving to improve, I wanted to do just that. It was amazing and so helpful for a trio of my own novels.
One such novel, Mastodon, was greatly improved from Andrew’s ‘guidance.’ While he didn’t give specific feedback about that novel itself, his notes let me comb over the novel and improve it. When the time came for me to think of blurbs, my wife all but forced me to email Andrew. When he agreed, I was so thankful. I’d like to think his influence/guidance helped it become my first true bonafide hit.
So, let’s backtrack.
The main reason for this piece was to discuss The Andrew Pyper Archives that I’ve created/curate.
It grew from my own personal obsession of collecting all of Andrew’s work. He has a website, that is basic, in that it shares his releases and some news. But it doesn’t contain any sort of listing to what anthologies he’s been in, what appearances he’s had in magazines and journals and what additional stories are out there – online or otherwise. So, in earnest, I began to compile it on an excel sheet. I began to download the covers and catalog the ISBN’s, which all have helped me find the editions I was missing. Over time, it grew and grew and one day I mentioned to my wife that I had so much data collected, it would be cool to make it a website. As she always does, she told me to ask Andrew. She figured he’d be excited and appreciative to have it done. I worked up my nerves and messaged him and was delighted when he agreed! I took my time piecing it together, mapping it out, wanting it to be both user friendly but also instantly engaging. It’s been a long time since I’ve been as stressed as when I sent him the link to take a look at before officially launching it and boy was I elated when he said he loved it.
More recently, I was over the moon when he sent me a short video of himself introducing the Archives!
The Archives is my way of easily introducing people to an author whose work I admire and love so much. It is a digital, online branch of my own collection. Through combing the world wide web, I’ve found editions I didn’t know existed and had people contact me and offer up versions they believed I was missing. As well, my love of Andrew’s work has led me to have three rebound editions created; two for his releases that did not have hardcover editions and one for his novel ‘The Killing Circle’ which I absolutely love. To know that only myself and Andrew possess those editions is truly remarkable.
Throughout this journey, Andrew’s friendship and encouragement have been a constant. He’s sent me potential leads, gifted me harder to find versions and been just as big of a cheerleader of myself as I have been for him. It’s a testament to his kindness that he’s put up with my random DM’s, constant tagging and emails. And let’s not forget the numerous interviews he’s done with me – email and video alike.
(Where my collection started!)
As of writing this, my collection contains 119 books, 90 of which are signed. One of these books is the only one in existence. It also has 7 pieces of ephemera, 3 of which are signed, a t-shirt, a hat, 2 prints, one tattoo and a website I’m super proud of. Currently, I’m missing 3 foreign editions, 3 journal appearances and one puzzle/interactive game.
(My collection today!)
So, when we sum up the whole of the parts, the answer from my personal collecting journey is this; if an author’s fiction moves you, if time and time again their work is there for you when things get difficult, shout it from the rooftops. Post about it, share the books, tell people about them and don’t ever be embarrassed or ashamed that fiction has made a difference in your life. We all need something to hold onto. Sometimes the world’s we visit in story help make the real world around us a little bit brighter.
While some may consider me to be Andrew’s #1 fan, the truth is, I just want every person to read his work. To find the enjoyment in it that I have. And it the Archives makes it that much easier for someone to become a fan, then I’ve done my job!
The joy Andrew’s work has brought to me is unquantifiable. Everyday, I get to look at the gorgeous books I have on my shelves, while simultaneously waiting for an announcement of a new release, and when that announcement comes – you can expect me to be shouting about how excited I am, while also updating the Archives!
Please, do take a few minutes to come explore the site, I’d really love it if you do!
And thank you, Andrew. Your kindness and generosity has been nothing short of phenomenal.
3Q’s – Dave Jeffery stands before the TRIBUNaL!
Oh boy! We’re in for a good one today! Top drawer!
Today’s guest is one of the most supportive writers out there. A master of the craft and someone who constantly ups the ante with each new release – please do welcome, Dave Jeffery!
Welcome, Dave!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try to write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
Dave: I’m fortunate enough to be able to write full time. However, that doesn’t mean that I dedicate all of that time to fiction. I also write essays, book reviews, develop and transcribe interviews, and genre magazine articles. I write from 07:30-10:30am and then stop. I do this every day and in that time can hit 1300 words of fiction, perhaps more for a non-fiction piece. As long as I’m hitting 1k per day, I’m happy.
Steve: You win the lottery and the only condition is that you need to fund another author’s book to be made into a movie. What book would you choose to be filmed?
Dave: There are so many great authors out there who I’d love to give a shoutout to, but in terms of creating something that would be provocative yet have something to say (my favourite type of story, be that on the page or on screen) would be Chris Kelso’s THE DREGS TRILOGY. It’s a transgressive and challenging read but someone like Cronenberg or Lynch would have a field day with it!
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Dave: My latest release is TRIBUNaL (Demain Publishing) the fourth and final book in my A Quiet Apocalypse series. It’s dystopian fiction set in a world where everyone is now deaf. The series explores how people come to terms with loss and what that transition costs them on a moral and theological level, and how they rationalize their actions to themselves. The books are thought-provoking but they’re also pretty brutal in places, just to warn readers. I guess people should read TRIBUNaL to see how it all ties together as those who have committed atrocity are now asked to present their case to people determined to make them pay for their crimes. I’d always advise new readers to the series to start with book one, but like all the other books, TRIBUNaL can be read as a stand alone.
Steve: Bonus Question! If you could be an extra on any TV show, which one would it have been and why?
Dave: It would have to have been the original Planet of the Apes TV show from 1974. As a 10 year old kid, that show cemented my eternal love for the franchise. I’m an avid collector of early ‘ape’ memorabilia. I would just love to have met Roddy McDowell in his Cornelius/Galen make up. Heck, I would have loved to have met him, period! In my eyes, the guy is an absolute legend!
Excellent choice! I love the Planet of the Apes stuff!
Cheers, Dave! Thank you once again.
Please do check the links below and find some fantastic reads!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Dave-Jeffery/e/B002BMGTWI
Twitter: https://twitter.com/davebjeffery
Website: https://www.davejefferyauthor.com/
September 16, 2022
3Q’s – Christi Nogle doesn’t wanna be buried in a pet sematary!
Bonjour and welcome to another 3Q’s!!
Today’s guest is a great one and has some truly exciting things coming down the road here!
Please welcome, Christi!!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try to write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
Christi: Like many writers, I have a preferred process and also a way to write when I can’t do what I prefer. Ideally, I write in the evenings after completing the day’s obligations. The dogs are sleeping next to me, my partner watches TV. I feel calm and focused, and I write from seven or eight until bedtime. Even more ideally, the idea I’m working on is so compelling that I have to begin work again as soon as I can in the morning. Very often, the ideal thing does not happen and so instead I do what I can. Notes in the notebook, thinking through stories while I do chores, etc.
Steve: If you could write a story for another author’s fictional world/series, which would it be and why?
Christi: I’d have to go with Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series. When my mom and I read it at the same time years ago, we started using the lingo from the books, “thankee sai” and “palaver” and so on. Last year she died, and while I was cleaning out her house, I listened to the series on audiobook, so it has a lot of emotional associations for me.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Christi: My first novel, Beulah, came out from Cemetery Gates Media in January, 2022. It’s about a haunted small town in Idaho and a young girl named Georgie. She’s trying to live in the real world while feeling compelled to explore the world of the dead, which she can see but can’t really understand. As anyone would say of their first novel, it’s dear to my heart. Here’s the Goodreads page for Beulah, and I have some other information about it on my site.
If short stories are your thing, watch for my first collection The Best of Our Past, the Worst of Our Future from Flame Tree Press in February 2023.
Steve: Bonus Question! Do you have a cherished book?
Christi: I love being surrounded by books and cherish them all! Pet Sematary is one that I think of a lot, as it was the first horror novel I went and picked out from the bookstore.
Awesome! Thank you so much for doing this, Christi!
To find more of her work – check the links!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Christi-Nogle/e/B087Z1S274
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChristiNogle
Website: http://christinogle.com/
September 15, 2022
3Q’s – Michael Patrick Hicks brings us a Massacre!
Today’s guest has been one of my biggest supporters since I started out in the writing game. A voracious reviewer, former Podcast host and fantastic writer, Michael Patrick Hicks always speaks his mind while delivering the goods!
Welcome Michael!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try to write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
MPH: At this point, I just try to write whenever I can. Balancing a full-time job and two kids means my free time is pretty sparse. I’ll use a lunch-break to write, or even just tap in a few quick sentences on my phone whenever I can. I don’t try to hit a word count anymore because even just getting in five words feels like a victory nowadays.
Steve: If you could write a story for another author’s fictional world/series, which would it be and why?
MPH: Hmmmm… good question! I actually already had the chance to do this with my contribution to Nicholas Sansbury Smith’s Extinction Cycle series. From the Ashes was originally a Kindle Worlds novella, back when Kindle Worlds existed way back when, and has since been republished in Nick’s Missions from the Extinction Cycle (Volume 2) anthology. It’s available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook, where it’s read by Bronson Pinchot. I think working in Nick’s world pretty well scratched my itch to play around in another author’s sandbox, and it was a really fun experience.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
MPH: My newest release is Friday Night Massacre, and as is the case with many great horror stories, it’s inspired by real events – namely the horrors of the Trump presidency. I wrote it in the months leading up to the 2020 election and, much to my chagrin but not at all to my surprise, I predicted the white supremacist terror attack carried out in Washington, DC at the urging of the president. My fictional account wasn’t exactly the same, but still… it was a bit shocking to see snippets of my horror scenario play out in real life and to be able to watch how close we came to losing our democracy on live television a few months after writing it. Friday Night Massacre was my Fuck You to Trump and everyone who voted for him, and might be worth checking out, especially if you like incredibly vulgar, gory, splattery horror.
Steve: Bonus Question! Do you have a cherished book?
MPH: I actually have several! There’s a number of limited edition Stephen King books I have and cherish, and I really, really, really, really, REALLY wish I’d have been able to get my hands on the 25th Anniversary Edition of IT that Cemetery Dance put out about a decade ago. It now goes for upwards of a $1,000 second-hand. That particular release has become my ultimate grail and if I ever win the lottery or get a sweet movie deal for one of my books, that’ll be the first thing I buy.
Oh, damn, yeah that is a phenomenally produced book!
Thank you so much, Michael for doing this!
Definitely check the links and get some awesome books!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Michael-Patrick-Hicks/e/B00ILI4XLK/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MikeH5856
September 14, 2022
3Q’s – Regina Watts Consorts with the darkness!
I’m always intrigued by those writers who seemingly exist completely behind pennames and pseudonyms. Case in point – today’s guest. Regina Watts is known to write brutally violent, extreme horror. While she readily admits in her answers that she writes under a variety of pennames and as such also releases books in varying genres. Color me intrigued.
Please welcome, Regina!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
Regina: Because I do everything by myself, my process is divided into phases. When I’m writing, I write every day for as long as I can and always target a 10,000 word day. My recent average has been 7,000 words a day and I’m comfortable with that; my bare minimum to feel okay is 5,000 a day. When my output starts to average below 4,000 a day it’s a sign I should take a break for a few days or even work on another project. I’ve also become very finicky about my vibe, so if one thing throws me off in the morning or is looming over me I’ll take the whole day off. If I’m struggling to write a section, I force myself to not write that day. “Don’t try,” as Bukowski said. As for the actual schedule, I have a lot of stuff to do in the morning, so I–for about 7 years now–get up at 4:20am to get my ducks in a row, work out, etc., and make sure I can sit at the keyboard by 7:30. But if I can get there around 6:30, that’s going to be a 10k day for sure. Once I’m at the keyboard and feeling good about my day, there ain’t nothing to it…I just put my fingers on the keys and type.
Steve: If you started a series and for some reason had to have another author finish it, who would you choose?
Regina: I would rather the hypothetical series die with me than be finished by someone else in this hypothetical scenario. Collaboration in professional prose just isn’t for me, even posthumously. Having said that publicly, maybe I’ll finally be seduced into it by someone…but I doubt it.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Regina: As my Regina Watts penname has become more horror-focused, I know some of my old readership is missing the more erotic aspects of the horrotica I used to write. Those readers will be happy to know that CONSORT, the first in my new dark romance series under the pen name Ada Dart, is a very fun, sexy book set in a universe plagued by mysterious episodes called Rift Events. These recurring tears in reality not only permit monsters to roam into our world, but have pronounced effects on the people exposed to them–like our protagonist, Thecla, who is caught between her love for the powerful, sadistic master of her home territory and the intense, mysterious attraction she feels for his monstrous footman. It’s a slow burning, fun reverse harem in a unique universe with an interesting plot, lots of spice, and a second book wrapping production soon! I recommend it to fans of my work as well as anybody who likes spicy dark romance.
Steve: Bonus Question! If they made a movie about your life, what actor or actress would you suggest they get to play you?
Regina: I imagine the movie about me will be very much like ADAPTATION, with someone playing Regina Watts and somebody else playing the actual flesh and blood human being behind the curtain…but as to who would play us, I haven’t the foggiest! That’s for the casting director to work out lol
Intriguing! Awesome! Thank you so much, Regina!
As always – click the links!
September 13, 2022
Book Review: The Ruins by Scott Smith
Title: The Ruins
Author: Scott Smith
Release date: July 18th, 2006
Over the last six or so years of dedicated reviewing, one book has been recommended my way far more than any other – The Ruins by Scott Smith. So many times, in DM’s, replies etc, people will say – oh loved that book, have you read The Ruins yet? and repeat and repeat and repeat. I’m not exaggerating when I think this book has been recommended close to 1000 times to me.
I’m also in the massive minority in the horror world, in that I’ve never watched the movie. When it came out back in 2008, I had my head down, focused on athletic pursuits and wasn’t watching a ton of movies. TV shows – sure, but movies, not to any big extent. So, I’ve simply never gotten around to watching it. Will I know, that I’ve read the book? 50/50 honestly. I don’t watch a lot of adult horror movies currently. When we have time to watch a movie, it’s typically family friendly with my son. Maybe someday, but as for right now, I won’t be running out to stream it.
What I liked: Keeping in mind two things: A) this was released back in 2006 and B) this is a fairly mainstream published horror novel, the book was a solid read. The story follows a group of friends who’ve gone on vacation. They make a few new friends while there and when one of those friends goes off into the jungle to find his brother so that they can make amends and fly home, they all tag along.
The set up is simple. They go into the jungle, travelling by way of poor roads and beaten pick up truck and when they arrive, a language barrier between them and some locals arises. This is key. Because, if they’d understood them, the book wouldn’t exist. They’d simply say “hey, thanks for the warning,” turn around and return to the resort. Instead, they continue on and find themselves on the tops of an old ruin, held hostage by the locals who won’t them leave and the ruins themselves, possessing malevolent vines.
Smith does a great job of creating a chaotic experience once they’re on the ruins. People get injured, discoveries are made and tensions ratchet up. As more and more insanity comes, they go inside the ruins, flee the ruins and deal with the reality that they very well might not make it off this piece of land.
The dynamics between the group is great. This is as much a psychological thriller as it is a horror novel based around whatever it is that exists deep within the dirt. Seeing the initial degradation of each person, which then rapidly speeds up was really well done and led to some gut-wrenching moments.
The 1-2 ending we get is completely expected – you’ll see it a mile away – but also completely perfect and works really well based on the repetitious history shared throughout and playing on the idea of hope that is sprinkled within.
What I didn’t like: The first 100 pages or so – essentially them going to the ruins – is borderline boring and I can see some people DNFing it within that section alone, impatiently waiting for anything to happen. It reminded me of when you watch MTV’s The Challenge and you have to sit through the competitors hanging around the mansion and drinking to pass the time.
As well – and this was I think more on me and my expectations – this book had been recommended to me so many times that I was expecting some really, truly brutal gory moments. Don’t get me wrong, it gets gross and dirty, but I think I had ramped this one up so much, I was a bit thrown off when the gross parts didn’t come off as gross as I thought they would.
Why you should buy this: Well, I might be one of the last horror readers in the world who hadn’t read this previously, but if you’re like me and haven’t yet – once you get past the initial slow stuff – this gallops into a fast-paced survival story where every sound means pain and you simply can’t close your eyes for fear of something wrapping around your limbs and pulling you into the depths of the jungle.
4/5
3Q’s – Joe Zito is Heralding Terror!
Man, today’s guest is someone that I personally think is criminally overlooked. Joe Zito writes with a passion and zest that always makes for a great read and solid, enjoyable characters. I’ve long been a big fan of his work and I truly hope that today’s 3Q’s post gets more eyeballs on Joe’s fantastic back catalog.
So, do please welcome, Joe!
Steve: What does your writing time look like? Do you try and write at the same time each day? Do you have a word count you attempt to hit?
Joe: I wish I could say that I write every day. The truth is I don’t. However, whenever I decide to go full force on a new project, I will write every day or as much as I can. I set my word count goal purposely low. Usually at 500 words a day. I do this just to make the process less stressful and more manageable. Most of the time I go over that goal anyway, maxing out at 800 to 1000. When I hit those numbers I feel like I accomplished something. It’s a weird psychological thing. Whenever I begin a new story I’ll try to write sometime after dinner. Usually between four thirty and five thirty. And then at night when everyone is sleeping, lol. And I’ll keep the same 500 word goal then as well.
Steve: If you started a series and for some reason had to have another author finish it, who would you choose?
Joe: This is an interesting question. I hope that I will always be able to finish whatever I start. It would be too hard to choose only one author I think.
Steve: Tell me about your newest release (novel/story/poem/novella) and why someone should read it!
Joe: My latest release is a short story collection called Heralding Terror. If you’re a fan of quick reads and of course creepy horror tales then you’ll dig it.
Steve: Bonus Question! If they made a movie about your life, what actor or actress would you suggest they get to play you?
Joe: There is only one actor that could pull off being me and that’s Adam Goldberg. I only say this because my wife insists that he’s my doppelganger! lol!
Great choice! Thanks so much, Joe!
I definitely recommend you click the links and discover more Zito!
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Zito/e/B00QALJKFO
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joe74zito
